


Picking Up The Slack

by Reloader



Category: Life Is Strange (Video Game)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-22
Updated: 2018-11-21
Packaged: 2019-08-05 20:04:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,618
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16374167
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Reloader/pseuds/Reloader
Summary: Kate, Chloe, the Vortex Club... even with her powers, Max can't be everywhere and solve all the problems. Luckily she has a friend to help her out.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So... my first story here. This was posted in FF before, but I'm gonna post it here as I've made some changes to it, and hopefully there's different reaction and suggestion to change it even further, to take it places I couldn't have imagined.  
> Like everyone else in here, comments, feedback, and suggestions are very welcome!

**Picking Up the Slack**

**Part 1: Kate Marsh**

**Chapter 1: The Two Maxes**

 

Maximilian decided he'd reached the meeting place too early. He looked around to the pass the time, but everything was the same. The same people in the hallway, the same announcements in the news board, the same ever-present missing person posters of the Rachel Amber girl.

After a while he saw her, the slim, brown-haired girl with blue eyes and freckles. She was wearing her usual combo of jeans and a shirt with a random logo under her light jacket, and her trusty satchel. She was wearing headphones, shielding herself from the rest of the world.

“Hi, Max,” he smiled at the girl when she walked up to him.

“Hi, Max,” she grinned, taking off the headphones. “Want to go to class already?”

“Of course, we A-plus students should always be there early.”

The girl snorted, and the two started walking.

Max Bennett had met Max Caulfield on their first day of class. The two, not knowing anyone else, began hanging out, especially after discovering they were both called Max. their arrangement, born out of need, eventually grew into a real, close friendship.

“Did you look up the photos I told you about?” she asked.

“I did,” he nodded, thinking back to the _Mark Jefferson: Black and White_ articles he'd read last night.

“Awesomesauce, right?” she asked excitedly. “They make you want to get into photography!”

“Yeah...”

“You don't sound too convinced,” Max narrowed her eyes and leaned closer.

They thankfully reached the classroom before he had to answer. They bumped fists at the door, then each headed for their seat: Max sat on the desk on the back of the room, while he sat behind the pretty, pixie-cut blonde in the stupidly expensive clothes.

“Hey, Maximilian,” she flashed him a smile that would have melt any boy or girl.

“Hey, Victoria,” he smiled politely. After knowing her for three weeks, he was sure he didn't like the girl, and was even more sure he didn't want her as an enemy. “How was your weekend?”

“Amazing, of course,” she replied. “You missed Friday's party.”

“Family stuff,” he lied, suppressing a bitter laugh.

“Shame, it was really... entertaining,” the girl said, laughing along her friends and, he noticed, glancing at Kate Marsh.

Maximilian looked at the girl, busy drawing on her notebook. He met her when he and Max were checking out the clubs and found the Bible Study one; he wasn't really into religion, but he liked her sweetness and earnestness.

But as he studied her, he found none of that. Her clothes were wrinkled and dirty, as if she hadn't changed in days; her bun was coming undone, blonde hair spilling on her pale skin. As if sensing his gaze on her she briefly looked up, and he saw her hazel eyes were red and had bags under them.

_What happened to her?_

“Welcome, everybody,” Mr. Jefferson walked into the classroom, oozing out confidence, and Maximilian readied himself for another round of the Language of Photography.

…...............................................

A million years later the bell finally rang.

“And please don't forget the deadline to submit a photo in the 'Everyday Heroes' contest is this Friday,” Mr. Jefferson announced. “I'll fly out with the winner...”

“Are you doing anything this afternoon, Maximilian?” Victoria turned to him. “We're having a little get-together and you should join us.”

_I'd rather not, Victoria_ , he thought. “Sure.”  _But I can only turn down so many invitations._

“Awesome, I'll send you a sext,” she winked and flashed him another winning smile before going off to flirt with Mr. Jefferson. He left his desk and hurried to where Max was.

“Everything okay?” he asked.

“Yeah...” she said, her voice distant as she packed her things slowly, as if in a trance. Since the freak out she had in the middle of class, Max had been acting really strange.

Without another word she left him, looking at everything like she was dreaming. Mr. Jefferson called her, but she didn't seem to hear him as she walked out of the classroom.

Maximilian wondered what was happening when Kate walked past him, looking to the floor. He hesitated, then followed her.

“Max Bennett, I'm not letting you run away too,” their teacher called.

“Now's not a good time, sir,” he apologized. “I'll come by later.”

He left the classroom and quickly scanned the hallway. To his left he found Kate, already a good distance away, scurrying away and flinching when anyone pointed at her. He took off running.

“Hey, Kate,” he caught up to her. “Is everything all right? I haven't seen you since Friday.”

She turned to him, avoiding his eyes, and he froze in place. He stared at her notebook and the dark drawings she'd made; angels covered in blood and trees with gallows, accompanied by words like WASTE and SO LONELY.

“What happened?” he found his voice after a long moment.

“You really don't know?”

“About what?”

Kate looked up, finally meeting his eyes. She studied him for seemly hours, and a sad smile crossed her face. “Bless you, Boy Max,” she said just as the fire alarm went off.

The two followed everyone out of the building. Outside Kate headed for the fountain, Maximilian right next to her.

“Boy Max, I'm sorry,” she said softly. “But I'd like to be alone today.”

“All right,” he simply said. “Take care, Kate.”

He sat on the edge of the fountain and watched her go. _First Max and now Kate_ , he frowned. _What's going on today?_

“Max!”

He snapped out of his thoughts and saw Max running toward him. Where she was zoned out in class, now she was frantic.

“I need to talk to you,” she looked around. “Something crazy happened.”


	2. Team Max

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is part two. I don't like making promises I can't keep, but hopefully I'll be able to update weekly or biweekly at the latest.  
> As with everyone else here, comments and suggestions are welcome.

Team Max

“And then he ran away.”

The two were wandering aimlessly as the girl told him what had gone down in the girls' bathroom. The fire alarm had long since stopped, and everyone was back in class; they were alone.

“I know Nathan has issues, but...” he clicked his tongue. “Shit, that's insane.”

“Very,” she said slowly. “I just hope that girl is safe.”

“I'm sure she's fine,” he said, then started chuckling. “You're an 'Everyday Hero'.”

Max looked away and held her right arm with her left. He recognized that gesture and what it meant. He started reaching out for her, then hesitated. _Agatha again, huh_ , a voice in his head said. He put his hand down.

The two walked in silence for a few minutes. “Maybe you should take a picture of me for the contest,” the girl said at last.

“Good idea,” he said, taking his phone out and snapping one.

“I was joking!” she lightly pushed him away, a smile appearing on her face. “But really, I'm no hero.”

“All right,” he said. “Still, you got nerves of steel. Not everyone would act as quickly as you.”

“I didn't,” she said firmly, a rare occurrence in her. Maximilian looked at her and she met his gaze, again a rare thing. A second later she broke away. “I guess.

“Hey, I need to get Warren's flash drive,” she changed the subject as the girls' dorms came into view. “Wanna come with me?”

“Sure.”

They were walking to the building when Max stopped. She pointed to a bench where a girl sat alone. “That's Kate,” she said. “I feel so bad for her... maybe I should talk to her.”

“I was talking to her when the fire alarm went off,” he mentioned. “She said she wanted to be alone.”

“Oh...” she bit her lip and kept walking.

They reached the girls' dorms, only to find Victoria sitting on the step alongside Taylor and Courtney, blocking the way inside. The pixie blonde eyed the two, and a nasty smile crept into her face.

“Oh, look, it's Max Caulfield, the selfie ho of Blackwell,” she said. “What are you doing here?”

“I'm just going to my room,” Max held her arm again.

“Wow!” Victoria laughed. “You saw your viral slut friend and want to follow her footsteps.”

Max didn't reply, instead looking down. Victoria looked at her for a few more seconds, while her cronies laughed, then her gaze moved on to Maximilian.

“Why are you with her, Maxie?” her smile went from venomous to friendly. “Is it some 'same name' fetish I don't know about? Maybe I should find a guy named Victor and try it out.”

“Knock it off, Victoria,” he sighed.

“So humorless,” the girl chuckled, moving out of the way. “Don't forget about our get-together, all right?”

“I won't,” he told her, ignoring the look Max threw him as they went inside.

“She's such a bitch!” she growled once they were out of hearing.

“She is,” he agreed.

“Like you'd know,” she narrowed her eyes. “She's all chummy with you.”

She started saying something else. Something, he guessed, along the lines of _you're my friend, why didn't you help me?_ But she stopped herself. Instead she said, “At least one of us is safe from the Asshole Club.”

They reached room 219. While Max looked around her desk for the drive he sat on the bed, looking at the 'Max Caulfield Photo Memorial Wall'. He hated selfies, they reminded him of his brother, but somehow he liked hers. There was something about them, that maybe he could put in words if he actually paid attention to his classes.

He looked away and walked to the couch on the opposite wall. He grabbed the girl's guitar, and proceeded to not hit a single note right.

“If you want to break her just do it,” she teased. “You don't have to make her suffer.”

“Well _someone_ has to play it,” he countered. “Poor thing's really lonely.”

“It hasn't been that long but fine, we'll jam after school,” she said, then grunted in annoyance. “Oh man, Dana took the flash drive.”

Outside the room Max stepped in front of him, blocking the way.

“Maybe you should wait outside,” she said quietly. “Victoria is still around...”

“Right,” he gave her a thumbs up. “I'll be on the grass like the inspired artist I am.”

…..............................................................................

Maximilian felt someone nudging him. He opened his eyes and found Max sitting next to him, an amused look on her face. _I fell asleep?_

“Was I snoring?” he yawned.

“We thought there was a mountain lion on campus,” she said.

“Did you get the flash drive?”

“It was quite the adventure,” a hint of mischief flashed in her eyes. Before he could ask, she opened her satchel and handed him a picture.

“No way,” he laughed. It was Victoria's picture wall, the photos arranged so they were throwing the middle finger.

“Yes way,” she got on her feet and helped him up. “Come on, Warren awaits.”

“Aye, aye.”

On the way she went over the ordeal to recover the flash drive. There were some parts that came off weird to him, like she knew what to do immediately, but didn't question it. They reached the gate separating the dorms from the main campus, and stopped in their tracks.

Kate was standing alone, fidgeting nervously as David the security guard all but charged at her.

“Don't think I'm blind,” he lightly pushed her. “I see everything here at Blackwell!”

“What...” the Maxes whispered in unison.

“Do you understand what I'm saying?” he barked.

“No,” Kate took a step back. “And l-leave me alone.”

“What do we do?” Max looked at him with desperate eyes.

_I don't want to get invested_ , he thought. But looking at Kate so helpless, and Max itching to do something to help.  _Dammit_ , he sighed. “Take a picture,” he finally said. “I'll go say hi.”

“Okay,” she nodded firmly, taking out her camera.

“You can't fool me, I know everything about this school,” David jammed his finger on Kate's chest, the girl crying out. “I cover the waterfront, so you better figure out what side you're...”

“Hiya, Kate,” Maximilian walked up to them, standing between her and the man. “How's your day been?”

“Excuse us,” David glared at him. “This is official campus business-”

“I didn't know bullying students was part of your duties, sir.”

“Hey, hey, nobody's bullying anybody,” he said defensively. “I'm just doing my job.”

“No, you _are_ bullying her,” Max stepped in, her camera purposefully visible in her satchel.

“You two are part of the problem,” David looked from one Max to the other. “I will remember this.”

He turned around and stalked away.

“That was great,” Kate hugged the two, and a genuine smile lip up her face. “I think you scared him for once.”

“We did more than that,” Max proudly showed them a photo.

It was a perfect shot. She had captured the exact moment David stabbed his finger on Kate's chest; a better proof of his bullying wasn't possible.

“You're an amazing photographer,” Kate told her. “And you were so brave standing up to him... thank you, this means a lot to me.”

“You're welcome...” he said.

“Kate, we're gonna return Warren's flash drive, but after that we're probably going to wander around the town,” Max told her. “Do you want to come with us?”

“I'd love to, but I need to go,” she said politely. “Thank you again.”

Kate walked away, her steps a little lighter than earlier in the day. Max broke out in a big grin.

“Wowser!” she shook Maximilian excitedly. “That was amazing!”

“It was,” he said, smiling and feeling good about it despite his best efforts.

“I guess we're a couple of 'Everyday Heroes',” she said. “We have to accept our destiny.”

“I guess,” he said as his phone buzzed. He didn't need to look at it to know who it was. From Max's expression, she didn't either.

“I'll go save Warren's afternoon,” she waved the flash drive. “You go try to save Victoria's soul, if she even has one.”

“Right,” he nodded. “Team Max to the rescue.”


	3. The Get-Together

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is chapter 3. I needed to establish the characters and whatnot, so after this things should start picking up speed.

The Get-Together

“So Maxie, what's Caulfield like in bed?”

Maximilian rolled his eyes. The get-together was in Taylor's room, and consisted of the girl, Victoria, Courtney, Logan, and himself watching movies while drinking and getting high.

Well, to be fair, they _had_ done some planning for the “End of the World” party on Friday. It wasn't much, but it was something.

“We are _not_ doing anything,” he repeated for what had to be the seventh time. “We're just friends.”

“But she took you to her room,” Courtney smirked, earning _ooh'_ s from the rest.

“We were getting a flash drive,” he told her. “You saw me leave the building like a minute later.”

“Maybe you're a quick shot,” Logan passed him a joint, making Victoria snort.

“I give up,” Maximilian shook his head and passed it to Victoria on his left.

“You're not gonna try it?” the pixie-cut blonde asked, taking a deep puff and exhaling contentedly.

“Beer's good enough for me,” he shook his bottle.

“Your loss,” she said dreamily.

“Joking aside, girl Max is kinda hot,” Logan told him. “I bet she's one of the kinky ones in bed.”

“The shy ones always are,” Taylor agreed. “Just ask the viral slut.”

“Who's the 'viral slut' you guys keep talking about?” Maximilian asked when the laughter died.

“Wait, you seriously don't know?” Victoria blinked in surprise. The door suddenly slammed open and Nathan stalked inside.

“That fucking bitch Max!” he screamed.

“What did I do?”

“Not you, the _other_ Max!”

_Max..._ Maximilian's stomach twisted.  _What just happened?_

“Whoa, calm down,” Victoria was immediately by his side, joint in hand. “What happened?”

“She... she... give me that,” he snatched the joint and took a long puff. “Fuck.”

“Come on,” she motioned to the couch. “I know how to cheer you up.”

“How?”

“Maxie doesn't know who the viral slut is.”

“Wait, for real, Maxie?” Nathan laughed.

“I don't,” he said neutrally.

“Put it on the TV!” the boy said excitedly, his mood visibly improved. _Maybe I should have tried it..._

“Please do,” Maximilian told Taylor. “If I watch another minute of _Final Fantasy: Spirits Within_ I'm going to shoot myself.”

He glanced at Victoria, and was rewarded by her not-quite-glare. He smiled.

“I'm pretty sure we sent you the video,” Taylor said as she fiddled with the TV and her phone.

“Maybe I forgot to watch it,” he offered, vaguely remembering ignoring an email.

“And we're ready,” the girl declared. “Enjoy the show, Maxie.”

Despite himself, Maximilian had a morbid curiosity about this 'viral slut'. Curiosity that became stunned disbelief when Kate Marsh appeared on the screen.

His friend was at a Vortex Club party ( _it was really... entertaining_ , he flinched when he recalled the pixie-cut blonde's words). She was wearing the same clothes she had in class, her shirt unbuttoned so her bra was visible, and walked unsteadily. She looked around, then grabbed a boy and kissed him hungrily while the people around laughed. When she was done with him she pushed him away, then walked to another. And another. And another...

….................

“Take care, Maxie,” Victoria said at the entrance of the girls' dorm.

“Yeah.”

“Listen, I have some 'medicine' in my room,” she whispered. “Whatever has you looking so worried, it'll make you forget it.”

He considered the offer. “I'm worried you're gonna show me another _Final Fantasy_ movie,” he said instead.

“Asshole,” she chuckled. “There's only two, and the other is even better.”

He waved at her and walked away. He sat on one of the benches and ran his fingers through his hair over and over. That couldn't be Kate. He pictured the sweet, kindhearted girl he knew, and couldn't match her with the wild girl going from boy to boy in the video.

_You really don't know? Bless you, Max?_

He pulled out his phone and selected her number.  _No wonder she's a mess, I need to make sure she's okay. I need to help her, I need to-_

_**Yes, let's get involved with Kate Marsh. Worked so well with Agatha.** _

Maximilian took a long breath and stared at his phone for a while. He deselected the girl's number and dialed Max instead. When she didn't answer he sent a text instead.

**Max are you ok? Heard something happened with you and nathan**

He put the phone down and stared off at nothing, a hundred memories playing on his mind. A moment later it buzzed with the reply.

**Everything is fine. Reconnecting with an old friend. Tell you tomorrow.**

He felt the knot on his stomach disappear. At least Max was fine. Whatever Nathan had done wasn't as stupid as pulling a gun on her. He started heading to his own dorm when the phone buzzed again.

“Kate?” he looked at the sender, and frowned in confusion at the message.

**I thought you were my friend. Please dont talk tome anymore.**


	4. Chloe Price

Chloe Price

Maximilian opened his eyes and groaned at the message jingle going off over and over. “Why didn't I lower the volume?” He turned around and tried to ignore it, only for _Alright_ to start blasting loudly.

“Fine, dammit,” he reached for the phone. “Hello?”

“ _Max what the heck happened yesterday?_ ” it was Max.

“Wait, what?” he sat on the bed.

“ _Between you and Kate_ ,” the girl elaborated. “ _I spoke to her this morning and... and... look, I'm waiting for the bus. Meet me here right now._ ”

“Are you serious?”

“ _I am_ ,” Max's tone left him only one answer.

“I'm on my way.”

After a quick change of clothes he grabbed a granola bar and left the bare room. A short walk found him at the bus stop, his friend watching him walk to her.

“I'm here,” he told her. “What happened?”

“That's what I want to know.”

“I have no idea,” he pulled out his phone. “I haven't talked to her since the thing with David, but yesterday she sent me this.”

Max read the message and furrowed her brow. “I saw her in the showers this morning,” she said sadly. “She was a wreck, Max, and she told me I was the only friend she had left and that you'd betrayed her.”

“Why would she think that?” he ate the last of his granola bar.

“That's what I wanted to get out of you,” the girl sighed. “There is so much shit going on, and we're both clueless.”

“Then let's talk about something we actually know,” Maximilian said as the bus arrived. “What happened yesterday with Nathan?”

….................

“You need to lay low for a while,” Maximilian shook his head yet again as they left the bus. “I'll try to calm things down, but you need to keep your distance.”

“I can't do that,” she told him, her voice firm despite holding her arm as always. “Not after what he did.”

“You mean the gun thing?” he asked. “That's exactly why you need to-”

“Not that,” she interrupted him. She pointed to the diner ahead of them, The Two Whales. “I'll tell you inside.”

They reached the diner and went inside. While Maximilian looked at the menu and checked his wallet Max looked around. “There,” she took his arm and pulled him to a booth on the far end.

There was a girl sitting there. She was tall and slim, wearing black punk clothes and a black beanie over over her bright blue-dyed hair. When she saw Max she broke into a big smile.

“You're late, Mad Max,” she said. She noticed Maximilian and the smile faded. “Who's this?”

“Chloe,” the girl grinned. “This is Max.”

“What.”

“Max, this is Chloe, the old friend I told you about, and she's the girl in the bathroom.”

“Hey,” he said. “I'm glad you're okay.”

“So your name is Max, too?” the girl, Chloe, asked in disbelief.

“Maximilian,” he smiled and nodded. “It's the reason we started talking to each other.”

“I guess that explains all those comments yesterday,” she recovered. “So, Max, what's Other Max doing here?”

“Max is my be... he's my friend,” she sat next to Chloe. “He's also friends with the Vortex Club and he can help us.”

“So you're playing both sides?” Chloe lifted an eyebrow.

“No,” he sat across them. “Help you with what?”

Max looked at her friend. “I need to tell him, Chloe.”

The blue-haired girl looked at her friend, then at Maximilian. An understandable look of mistrust crossed her face, but she looked at Max again and finally nodded.

“Some time ago Nathan drugged Chloe and tried to take advantage of her,” Max said in a low voice. “We think he drugged Kate too.”

“I also think he's behind Rachel Amber's disappearance,” Chloe added.

Maximilian's mind went blank. Nathan was hard to deal with, with his constant mood swings and his even more frequent family issues, but was he actually drugging and kidnapping?

That question led to many others. Who else was involved? Victoria? The whole Vortex Club?

“Do you have proof?” he asked.

“Not yet,” Max admitted. “But we can get it.”

“Tell me.”

His friend hesitated, looking at Chloe for support. She bit her lower lip and focused on her open palms. “We, um... we use my powers.”

“Your what now?” he raised an eyebrow. He glanced at the blue-haired girl, who gave him an apologetic shrug.

“Remember when I told you I saved Chloe yesterday?” she asked. When he nodded she continued. “I didn't the first time. I watched her get shot and killed. Then... then somehow I went back in time, and I saved her.”

The boy stared at her. “What.”

“I don't believe it, either,” Chloe commented. “Prove it, Max, do something that blows my mind.”

“Like what?” she asked.

“How many fingers am I holding?” Maximilian asked, his hands behind his back.

“Other Max, she's not psychic...”

“Seven,” Max replied, suddenly looking and sounding like a gamer repeating a level for the hundredth time. “Now three, nine, four using your thumbs and pinkies.”

He gasped, eyes growing wide. He looked at Chloe, and saw she shared his expression.

“Write something on a napkin,” Max told them, looking out the window. “Don't let me see it, and let me know when you're done.”

Maximilian quickly scribbled something, folded the napkin, and hid it under the table. He watched Chloe do the same. When she finished, the girl tapped Max on the shoulder.

“Now what?” they asked her in unison.

“Now I read what you wrote,” Max's smile was like a little kid's. She pulled out two napkins from her hoodie and opened the first. “The chorus of _Heat of the Moment_ ,” she read. “That song was in an episode of _Supernatural_... ahh.”

“What the fuck Max,” he blurted out, color draining form his face. He took out his napkin and showed them the same words, with the exact handwriting.

“D-D-Do you have m-mine too?” Chloe asked, holding hers with shaky fingers.

“I do,” she showed them. The drawing of the band Firewalk's banner matched the one on the blue-haired girl's perfectly. “I asked you for the napkins, then rewinded time to before you did,” she explained.

“This is so fucking unreal,” Chloe shook her head.

The waitress, Joyce, arrived with their food and chatted a little with the girls. From what he gathered, she was Chloe's mother. When she left the three ate in silence.

“So... what else can you do?” Maximilian asked when they were done,

“I haven't practiced a lot, so that's all I can do for now,” Max said shyly.

“Then let's go to my secret lair and see how far you can go!” Chloe got on her feet excitedly, then glanced at the boy. “One-Max limit, sorry.”

“It's cool,” he shrugged just as a phone started buzzing.

“It's mine,” Max announced.

“Don't even answer,” Chloe told her. “We have places to go and people to do...”

“It's Kate...” she said, glancing at the two. Maximilian moved closer.

“Big whoop,” the punk girl scoffed. “You don't call me once in five years and now you're all over over some beeatch you see everyday at school?

“I see how you roll. So go ahead, chat up Kate Marsh... what?”

“A 'beeatch' who was drugged and attacked like you were, and you don't care?” he raised an eyebrow.

“So?”

“You're kind of an asshole,” his stomach knotted as soon as the words left his mouth. _Why am I defensing her?_

“Hey you shut your fucking mouth, dude,” she walked up to him, glaring all the way.

“Hey, Kate, what's up?” Max slammed her friend in the arm, and motioned for the two to be quiet. “Yes, he's with me. Okay, I won't say a word.”

“I'll be outside,” Maximilian started for the door.

“Yeah, walk away you pussy,” Chloe called after him.

He paced around the parking lot, almost stalking it like David did on campus. _How can Max hang out with an asshole like her?_ he though, then started chuckling. _I guess she asks herself the same when I'm with the Vortex Club._

He stopped next to the parked RV and reclined against it. “I guess I'm an asshole, too, for trying not to care about Kate's message,” he let out a deep breath. “But if I do I'll start trying to help her feel better and then....” he slammed his fist against the vehicle. “Fuck!”

“What the _fuck_ is going on?” Maximilian heard running, and a man appeared from the other side of the RV. “Who the fuck are you?!”

“I'm sorry, man,” he took a step back. “I didn't know there was anyone here.”

“Well I am,” the man barked. “The fuck you hit my house for?”

“Women,” he simply said.

The man chuckled, his anger disappearing. “Having women troubles too, huh?” he said. “I know where you're coming from.

“What did she do? Use you and stabbed you in the back?”

“Yeah, after I did everything in my power for her,” he nodded. For some reason, he felt comfortable talking to the shady-looking man.

“Shit, kid, it's like you're living my own life,” the man's voice softened. “I had a girl, a few months back. I really loved her, and I thought she loved me, too. But she was just using me. Then when I tried to confront her about it she vanished.”

“Sorry to hear that, uh...”

“Frank,” the man said. “Frank Bowers.”

“Max Bennett,” he said, then hesitated for a moment. “You think I should try again?”

“No,” he answered immediately.

Maximilian started to say something when he heard the diner door slam open and Chloe and Max walked out. His friend spotted him and gave him a small wave. “Looks like I have to go.”

“That the girl you want to try again with?” Frank asked him.

“She's not,” he said, a little more unsure than he expected.

“Then the other one?” he looked at Chloe.

“That's a hard no.”

“Good,” Frank chuckled. “Stay away from her, she's a pain in the ass.”

“I'll keep that in mind,” he nodded. “See you around, Frank.”

He left the man in the RV and walked to the sidewalk, where Max was waiting.

“Sorry about Chloe,” the girl held her arm. “She was my best friend before I moved away and I didn't really call her in five years and I didn't try to reconnect with her when I came back and...”

“It's not your fault,” he said.

“Hey, um, I'm going to hang out with her for a while,” Max told him. “I'll call as soon as I'm back so we can go see Kate, okay?”

“All right.”

“So... uh, do you want a ride to Blackwell?”

Maximilian looked past her friend at Chloe, glaring at him from inside an old, beat up truck across the street. He could almost feel the anger. “I think I'll walk.”


	5. Rooftop

“Maxie?”

With an effort he slowly came back to reality. He'd been listening to Mr Jefferson drone on and on about some famous photographer or another before giving up and looking out the window. The constant _thud thud thud_ of the rain against the window slowly lulled him.

“Are you okay?” Victoria asked, an amused smile on her face. “You're in another world.”

“I was enthralled by the lecture,” he told her, making the pixie-cut blonde snort.

“I see you're discussing something very important,” Mr. Jefferson called, the rest of the class chuckling at the two. “Do you want me to stop while you finish?”

“I'm sorry, Mr. Jefferson,” Victoria flashed him a smile. She glanced at Maximilian and went back to focusing on the class.

“Thank you,” their teacher said. “Now, as I was explaining...”

Now that he was awake, Maximilian went back to looking at the rain. It had picked up a lot since he arrived on campus.

Eventually his gaze moved from the window to Max's empty desk, and then to Kate's. _Why is she angry with me? We talk, sure, but it's not like we're close, or even friends. We're just...._

_You don't think of you two as friends,_ the other voice in his head said. _But she does, idiot._

His epiphany was interrupted by the buzzing of his phone. **I'm outside the girls' dorms** , Max's message read. A moment later the phone buzzed again. **Bring an umbrella.**

He put his phone away, followed by his notes, and headed for the door.

“Where are we going Max Bennett?” Mr. Jefferson called.

“Something came up, sorry,” he walked out.

….................

Max shivered, and held herself tighter.

The last hours had been a mess. Chloe had nearly shot herself with the gun she stole from her father; no, she _had_ shot herself, she'd had to rewind time to prevent it. Then that guy Max was talking to at the Two Whales showed up, threatening Chloe and her about some money. Finally, the rain started when they were supposed to talk to Kate, who wasn't in class.

But, even with all that, it had been fun hanging out with her.

Through the curtain of rain she saw him, a hand over his eyes to shield them. She waved her arms so he'd spot her.

“Hi, Max,” he said, joining her.

“Hi, Max,” she said. “I told you to bring an umbrella.”

“I don't own one,” he shrugged. “How was your training with punk Yoda?”

“Exhausting and eventful, it was,” she couldn't stop a yawn. “After we talk to Kate I'm taking a long, long nap.”

“Then let's get to it,” he said in that 'I don't care about anything' tone she so disliked. She didn't think she would hear it again after he'd gone off and defended Kate from David, but she also didn't think her time with Chloe would be interrupted by a drug dealer who smelled like beans.

They stopped in front of the girl's door, and Max sighed. On the little board next to every student's door was a message, **Will Bang 4 Jesus** , and a halfhearted attempt to erase it. She reached for it when Maximilian wiped it off, grabbed the marker, and drew a cartoon bee with the words **Bee Strong!**

She stared at him. _So do you care or not, Maximilian? I can't figure you out._

“What?” he asked, putting the marker down.

“I forgot you could draw,” she said instead, knocking on the door. “Kate? It's Max, can I come in?”

No answer.

She knocked again, a little harder, and the door inched open. She looked at her friend and headed inside. The room was as awful as in the morning; there was trash and clothes everywhere, the windows and mirrors covered up. But the room's owner wasn't inside.

“Is she there?” he asked when she walked out. She shook her head. “Where could she be?”

“I don't know...” a note of worry crept into her voice. _No,_ she told herself. _Kate is fine._

“Should we check at the Bible Club?”

_Blam!_

Max and the boy jumped at the loud noise.

“What was that?” she asked, while her friend looked in the general direction of the noise.

“It sounds like someone left a door open,” he commented.

_Blam!_

“It does,” she agreed, starting to walk to the exit. “And you're right, let's look for Kate at the...”

Max covered her mouth when her mind connected the dots, the sudden rush of fear making her nauseous. She heard her friend say something, but she ignored him as she took off toward the source of the sound.

The opened door to the roof access.

….................

The stairs seemed to go on forever. When they saw the door at the top they crashed into it, all but falling outside.

“Kate!” Max screamed, undisguised fear coating the word.

The girl was near the edge of the roof. She looked very small and fragile, a tiny branch in the middle of a storm. Her clothes stuck wetly to her body, making her look infinitely skinnier than she was. Her hair was undone, sticking to her shoulders, the bags under her eyes were deeper and darker, and her hazel eyes looked beyond sad.

“Max...” he looked at her friend. She raised her right hand, but a moment later she flinched as if she'd been hit and held her head.

“I'm too tired from earlier,” she clenched her hands helplessly, ignoring the blood coming out of her nose. “I can't... dammit!”

“What are you doing here, Max?” Kate asked.

“Please don't jump, Kate!”

“I could have jumped anytime in the last ten minutes,” she sounded far away. She looked to the sky and took a step back. Toward the edge. “But I haven't made up my mind yet.”

“Then let me help you,” Max offered.

“I want you to,” the girl finally looked at him, and he shivered. There wasn't anger in her eyes, but hurt and disappointment. “But I'm not sure you won't betray me too.”

“Kate...” he began, the fear of saying the wrong thing robbing him of words. “I'd never do anything to hurt you.”

Kate didn't respond. Instead, she took her phone out and looked something up. When she found it, she tossed the phone at him.

And took another step back.

There were two messages from Victoria. The first was a picture of him from when they were in Taylor's room. Below it was a text that read  **Maxie just watched your video. You got yourself a new fan!**

“I can't figure you out,” Kate's voice started breaking. “First you stand up to David for me, and I think you're my knight in shiny armor, then you're like everyone here, laughing at my suffering.”

“I'm not...” he started to speak, but stopped when he realized it didn't matter. It didn't matter that he didn't know Kate was in the video, that he only talked to Victoria to keep her off his back, or that he didn't notice Kate saw him as a good friend. What mattered is that, because of his own actions, he absolutely looked like an asshole who used and disposed of her.

Ever since they exiled him to Blackwell to avoid trouble, he'd learned his lesson and stopped getting invested in people. Like he was in a video game, talking to NPCs. But him not caring about anyone did not mean people didn't care about him. Kate cared about him, enough to feel betrayed he watched the video, and, looking at Max, noticed she cared too.

“Kate, it's not like that,” his friend said earnestly. “He can be confusing sometimes, but he's my friend and yours. I can vouch for that.”

“I talk to Victoria so she doesn't go after me,” he finally found his voice. “And because I'm a coward.”

Kate cocked her head to the side in puzzlement, as did Max.

“I'm with the Vortex Club because I don't have the guts to stand up to them, like Juliet or Max do,” he told her. “And I didn't notice I'd hurt you, because I'm not strong enough to care about people or fight for what I believe in, like you do.”

“I... I'm not strong...” Kate shook her head, but remained in place.

“Of course you are,” he said with confidence. “The Bible Club, your abstinence posters, it takes a lot of courage to do all that around these philistines.”

“That's not the right word,” a flicker of a smile crossed her face, and she took a step forward. “You talk about me like I'm some kind of inspiration.”

“You do inspire others, Kate,” Max told her. “There are lots of people here who don't want to drink or sleep around, but feel pressured to. I'm sure seeing you inspires them to keep resisting.”

“Those are very kind words,” the sadness returned. “But after that video I'm sure they think I'm a hypocrite.”

“We know you were drugged,” he said. “We'll get proof and show everyone.”

“Just like how we got proof David was bullying you,” Max added. “It worked, right?”

“I haven't seen him at all since yesterday,” Kate took another step toward them. “But what if you can't find it?”

“Who cares what any of them think?” Max cried, motioning to the school at large. “The only ones who matter are the people who love you, Kate. Your sisters, your dad...”

“I also have you,” Kate told Max, a small smile appearing on her face. She looked at Maximilian and the gesture faltered. “Do I have you too?”

“You do.”

Kate Marsh looked at the heavens one more time. The rain hadn't slowed down in the slightest, but it somehow felt much weaker than just a moment ago.

“I can't feel my toes,” she finally said. “We should go back inside.”


End file.
